18a. Theoretical base of our researches and their results

Theoretical
base of our researches

and their results

Theoretically, our
research is founded on the works of Prof. N.I.Vavilov. Nikolai I. Vavilov is recognized as the foremost plant
geographer, botanist and geneticist of this age. In the early 20thcentury, the world was yet unaware of the
urgent necessity to protect the environments, and scientists thought little
about gradual extinction of plant species. In fact, N.I. Vavilov was the first who understood the
imperative of intensive plant collecting, studying and preservation, in spite
of the hardest times he experienced in his life. In order to explore the major
agricultural regions over the world, Vavilov organized and took part in over 100
collecting missions. During these expeditions, he always focused special attention on leguminous crops in
general, and to lupin in
particular, regarding it as a source of protein and means of increasing of soils
fertility (Sinskaja,1991). He considered this problem as the highest priority in
biological and agricultural science and in the attempts to develop sustainable
agricultural production. As a result of
these efforts, by 1940 about 200 thousand accessions had been stored in Vavilov’s collection. Such a rich diversity was
thoroughly analyzed in various eco-geographic conditions, systematized and preserved.
Vavilov’s foresight
concerning possibility of quick disappearance of many valuable plant forms under the influence of human activity
proved prophetic. Only for the last 20 years, dozens of plant species and forms
have vanished from earth, but many species and forms were saved thanks to the
collecting efforts of Vavilov and
his followers. Vavilov's
activity in the field of collecting, studying and preservations of genetic
resources of leguminous plants including
lupin, is stated in the following work:

We also participated in many plant collecting missions,
explored different regions of former USSR (Siberia, Far East, Kazakhstan,
Caucasus, Middle Asia, Ukraine) and many others countries (Brazil, Peru,
Argentina, Ecuador and Galapagos Islands, Algeria, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Finland) and has
collected a wide diversity of leguminous plants and their wild relatives, which
are effectively used in Plant breeding in Finland, Poland and in many other
countries. We represent here results of our researches of genetic
resources in Portugal and on the island Madeira: Collecting plant
genetic resources in Portugal

During 1984-91, we collected
accessions of the Georgian ecotype of white lupin in Abkhazia (in the regions
of Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Galy) and in Georgia (Zoogdidy, Poti, Lanchhutty,
Maharadze, Samtredia, Kutaisi, Tshaltubo regions). Visits were made to farmers,
collective farms, local scientific agricultural stations, regional
administrators and markets, always in the summer, when the seeds were ripe.
Collected materials testify to the
breeding value of Western Georgian
accessions of 'hanchcoly' as promising initial
material for creation of new spring and winter varieties of L. a/bus for grain production,
silage utilization and for green manure
(Golovchenko et al. 1984; Kurlovich 1991; Kurlovich et al. 1995).

The paper presents the hypothesis
on the occurrence of a single primary center offormation of the
Genus LUPINUS L. in Laurasia in the
Chalk period. As a result of the separation of the continents of about 50 min.
years ago the main part of the territory attached to the North America, and the
second, smaller part, to the Europe. Thus, two secondary centers of formation
of different lupine species arose, one in the Mediterranean and the other on
the American continent. In view of the concept noted
above it follows that the Genus LupinusL. consists of two
subgenera: subgen. Lupinusand subgen. Platycarpos(Wats.) Kurl., comb. nova.

We were guided in our
research by Vavilov’s differential systematic and geographic method
of analyzing cultivated plants, and his doctrine about species as a system. Previously the prevailing ideas were based on monotypic species, according to
which species cannot include a systematic unit of a lower rank. Vavilov,
however, in a study of several hundred species showed the absence of monotypic
species, i.e. species represented by various forms. He considered
species as «a flexible, isolated, complex, morph physiological system linked to a
particular environment and area» Different intra-specific taxa (subspecies, varieties, subvarieties and
forms) were classified within different species of Lupins on the basis of Vavilov’s concepts of species as a system. Our
approaches to systematization and classifications of several species of lupin
are stated in the following publications:

Eco-geographic classification reflects
the regularities of variability of these properties, which are based on the
specific nature of geographic, historical, ecological and agronomic conditions.
It cannot replace
the botanical classification of the species, which requires clear difference of
morphological characters as observed on the
herbarium materials, but supplements it. Taken together they provide for
purposeful and conscious utilization of plant genetic diversity in breeding
practice, as N.I. Vavilov repeatedly marked. Below the following article is
published in: Advances in Lupin Research (J.M. Martins and
M.L.Beirao da Costa, eds.). Proceedings of the 7th International Lupin
Conference, Evora, Portugal. ISA Press, Lisbon, 1994.

Leguminous crops, including lupin, are an important source of
protein and other nutritious substances. The major physiological and
biochemical feature of lupin is the capability to synthesize plenty of protein.
Due to its coexistence with nodule bacteria Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lupinus),
lupin possesses high nitrogen-fixing ability, the means of acquiring molecular
nitrogen from the atmosphere, which is used to produce protein and other
nitrogen substances. Among the rich specific diversity of lupin, there are
species, varieties and forms, which accumulate large amounts of protein, oil
and other useful substances (Kurlovich, 1998). At the same time, between
separate species, varieties and forms there are differences not only in the
quantitative content of useful substances, but also in their qualitative
structure.

Fusarium wilt is the most harmful soil-borne
disease of lupins in Russia and in the Ukraine. The aim of the studies was to
find broad resistance to disease in collection accessions and to breed lupin
forms resistant to Fusarium wilt for the future breeding program. Lupin
cultivars and lines (547 accessions) from the genebank of the N.I. Vavilov All
Russian Scientific Research Institute of Plant Industry, St. Petersburg,
Russia, were tested for Fusarium resistance under different environmental conditions of three
regions in Russia and in the Ukraine on plots with artificially infested soil.
So, differences in the disease susceptibility of the same accessions were found
in contrasting environments. Resistant forms from one region were crossed with
accessions showing their resistance in two other regions to accumulate resistance
genes in new genotypes. As a result of hybridization two transgressive forms
were obtained in F4 of the crosses cv. Frost x cv. Apendrilon (L.
angustifolius) and line G-413 x line 85 (L. luteus). Their
resistance in all three regions appeared to be higher than that of their
parental forms. These two lines were found suitable for the breeding
programme of Fusarium resistant forms in Russia and in the Ukraine.
Concrete materials on problems of Fusarium are stated in the following
articles:

31 accessions of lupins from the collection of N.I. Vavilov’s Institute belonging to 8 species with various origins were tested in different ecological and geographical conditions (in Russia and on the Ukraine) in 1994- 1998 using a common strategy. Two identical plant densities (low and high) were used at both eco-geographical locations. Weather conditions (temperature and a rainfall) were registered also. The research performed has shown that phenotypic manifestation of yield and other qualitative characters in lupins include influence of genotype, influence of environment and agriculture, as well as their interactions. The environments are the most important source of variation for all accessions of lupins, explaining from 50.1 % at cv. Ladny, (L. angustifolius) to 68.9 % at k-2770(L.mutabilis) of the variance in yield. The share of genotypes has varied only from 14.4 % (at k-2770, L.mutabilis) up to 29.7% (at cv. Ladny, L. angustifolius) and has averaged 22.9 % on all studied accessions. Miscellaneous accessions differ in the scale of influence of various factors. Eco-geographical studies have revealed genotypes with a high enough stability of different characters: cvs. Ladny, Timir-1 and Line -7 at L. angustifolius; vs. Juno, Neutral and BSChA-382 at L.luteus; cv. Tambov early at L. albus and the accession of L. ornatus Dougl.(k-3011). The variation coefficient (v) has not been higher than 10 % in these cultivars. But we fixed a negative correlation between high productivity and stability (r = -0.648). The most highly productive appeared to be cvs. Frost, Welikan – 6, Nemchinov. Blue and Welikan – 4 at L. angustifolius; accession 41B from Portugal, cvs. Juno and Industrial at L. luteus; accessions k-3023 from Brazil, k-3046 from Marokko, and cv. Soz at L. albus; accession k-2770 in L. mutabilis. Cv. Juno from Poland (L. luteus L.) is selected among the investigated accessions. It has a high enough stability of yield (v=6.3%) and high productivity of seed (9.39 ±3.90 g/plant) and mass of all plant (30.03 ±7.10 g/plant). Averaging across years, locations and densities provide very valuable information about influences of genotype, environment and agro technical conditions on different accessions of lupins.

High efficiency of testing accessions of lupin in different ecological and geographical conditions on the united strategy is installed . Our research has shown that phenotypic manifestation of indeterminacy of branching includes influence of genotype, influence of environment, as well as genotype - environment interaction. Eco-geographical studies have allowed to reveal a genotype with the high stability of character of determinate branching in different conditions ( accession Ladny). This accession is broadly used in breeding process in many countries (Belarus, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine) as the source of early-maturity, thermos and photo stability and neutrality. Besides, conducted studies have confirmed a thesis that a new cultivars of agricultural plants needed to create for concrete conditions of growing. Eco-geographical investigations make it possible to create valuable material also through hybridization of forms with a different variability of characters, what often proves about nonallelity of controlled genes. This phenomenon allows as to obtain transgressive forms, the expressiveness of valuable charactersat which one was better than at initial forms. GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON BRANCHING IN NARROW-LEAFED LUPIN ( LUPINUS ANGUSTIFOLIUS L.)

The book: «The genebank and breeding of grain legumes
(lupine, vetch, soya and bean)» from a
series «TEORETICAL BASIS OF PLANT BREEDING», Volume 111, St.Petersburg, VIR,
1995 (in Russian ), deals with new material on the theory of
breeding of the above crops, biodiversity, intraspecific classification, the
data on genetical studies, initial materials for various trends of breeding
etc.

The
review of the most outstanding species of 46 genera
of the family Leguminosae (Fabaceae) is given.
This third family on size includes of 23 535
species united in 917 genera according to the newest data. A large number of legume species are cultivated
worldwide as ornamentals, used as living fences and firebreaks, as soil
binders, green manures, fodder for livestock, forage for honey bees, food for
humans, in agro forestry and reforestation (for nitrogen fixation), as pulp for
paper production, fuel woods, timber, and as sources of chemicals (e.g., dyes,
tannins), oils (industrial, food, aromatherapy), and medicines. Many of the
more common ones are listed below. Family Leguminosae
(Fabaceae)can be divided into
three subfamily: Caesalpinioideae, Papilionodeae orFaboideae and Mimosoideae. The major of
species belonging to 11 genera in subfamily Caesalpinioideae are
described: Caesalpinia; Bauhinia; Ceratonia; Cercis; Gleditsia; Gymnoclаdus; Parkinsonia;
Delonix; Copaifera; Guibourtia; Tamarindus. The description
of the major species belonging to 31 genera of
subfamily Papilionodeae is given: Arachis;
Dalbergia; Lupinus; Astragаlus; Cicer); Glycyrrhiza; Hedysarum; Lathyrus; Lens; Pisum; Vicia, including Vicia sativa
and Vicia faba; Vavilovia; Melilotus; Medicago; Onobrychis; Oxytropis; Trifolium; Wisteria; Cajanus; Canavalia;Derris; Millettia;
Glycine; Indigofera; Phaseolus; Vigna; Pachyrhizus; Pueraria; Lotus; Robinia; Sesbania. Subfamily Mimosoideae is presented by
4 genera in our review: Mimosa; Acacia; Calliandrа and Entada. The
description of plants is stated partially on the basis of our 40-year-old
researches, according to Wikipedia and other sources of the Internet and
generalization of the world literature.